Avowed was delayed for tactical reasons as Microsoft already had a crammed release schedule

With Flight Simulator, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and Indiana Jones within a few weeks of one another, Microsoft decided to hold Avowed and give Obsidian more time to polish the game.

In the coming weeks, both Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be released for PC and Xbox Series S/X. The intention was that Obsidian Entertainment would also have something to offer, namely Avowed. Recently, however, it was postponed until February instead.

In a Game File interview with Microsoft's gaming boss Phil Spencer, the latter explains that the delay was purely tactical:

"Matt Booty and I, we plan it out, we talk with the Game Pass team. We say, 'Okay, what are the big launches coming in?' We also have STALKER, which isn't even on that list, but obviously for us is a very meaningful launch.

We said, 'Okay, let's make sure we pace this out a little better.'"

The game was ready, but that doesn't mean Obsidian is moving forward with anything else. Instead, they'll use this extra time to polish Avowed a little extra so it's in great shape for its release in three months. It drops on February 18 for PC and Xbox, and is included with Game Pass.